The present invention relates to a color image recording apparatus where a plurality of image-forming sections transfer toner images of corresponding colors to a recording medium in sequence.
Conventionally, a tandem-type color image-recording apparatus has been proposed where a monochrome printing and a color printing are selectively performed. The color printing is performed by superposing yellow, magenta, cyan, and black images. The apparatus incorporates a color data separator which separates if the received print data is for color printing, then the color data separator separates the print data into color data of the respective colors. Each of the color data is fed to a corresponding one of image-forming sections aligned in a direction of travel of the print medium. The toner images of the respective colors are transferred on the print medium one over the other in sequence as the recording medium travels through the image-forming sections. The transferred toner images are then fused in a fixing unit into a full color image. The color printing requires longer time than the monochrome printing.